14. Tools of Trade: Video Analysis

Cameras do not lie, neither do parents but parents can be biased both ways.

Sometimes I only see mistakes when I am over eager to explain and fix something in my son’s technique. And some other times I admire his shots from a certain angle. In my experience both have been distorting views from time to time and I find that when I record his matches and view his play again on a PC.

This has happened recently again in a tournament, when I watched him live from a given angle (seating area), he looked good; when I watched the same match on PC (where the camera was positioned at different angle) I could notice the technical mistakes he was doing. It was interesting (and disappointing at the same time) to be able to see and analyse from a different angle.

That’s where video analysis comes handy. I am using a single GoPro camera (black5), which I place on top of one of the back fences. Its controlled by phone app (go pro own app) and locally recorded. I then watch it through go pro studio on my desktop. I record matches at 4k 30fps, as that allows me to zoom when needed.

Eventually I shall need an specialist software to tag the shots and also to analyse further, like body movements, etc.

I also have an idea to make that even more interesting …but shall talk about that later when I have it implemented.

In the mean time its just hard work and more hard work. No amount of technology and talent can replace hard work and that’s the hard truth 🙂